Time switch



Man'ch 16, 1937.. R H HART 2,@73,743

TIME SWITCH Filed Jan. 7, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 w J l I :2?!

R. H. HART 2,@73,743

TIME SWITCH March 116, 1937.,

Filed Jan. 7, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 E/eczf/ 2 0 6706// gnucnfot Patented Mar. 16, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIE TIME SWITCH ton, W. Va.

Application January 7, 1936, Serial No. 57,980

3 Claims.

This invention relates to time switches, and more particularly to a switch of the character indicated, primarily constructed for operating electrical devices such as fans, radios and the like, for predetermined periods of time.

One of the aims of the invention is to provide a time switch mechanism operable from a clock, preferably an electrically-opeTated clock, whereby the mechanism may be set to commence operation of an electrical appliance at a definite hour, continue said operation for a chosen period of time, and then disconnect or switch off, the current furnished said appliance, at the expiration of the time period.

Another object is to construct a device of the character specified of relatively few parts, and to provide a time-switch which may be readily set to quickly make and break an electric circuit.

The above and other aims and purposes will be apparent from the detailed description hereinafter appearing, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, made a part hereof and in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of the invention showing same at the instant when the circuit has been broken;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, partly brokenaway and showing the mechanism at the instant when the circuit has been closed;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view taken in the direction of the arrow 3 of Fig. l, a part of one of the scales being broken away to more clearly disclose details, such scale being shown in section;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the gear wheel and scale by which the period of time is set for maintaining the circuit closed, the view being taken in the direction of arrow 4 shownin Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 1; and,

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a pivoted trigger and its base, whereby the latter is employed to mount same in operative position.

The invention is adapted to be operated from an electric clock. Assuming that the electric appliance to be controlled in its operation is a radio, the time switch constituting the subject matter of the invention is wired so that it may make or break the circuit connecting the radio to an electric outlet or other source of electric current.

Referring to the drawing there is shown at 10 an electric clock having hour and minute wheels H and H" housed in a casing I2. The clock is secured as by a U-strap l3 and screws and nuts or the like M tothe bottom surface of a relatively thin bearing plate of insulating material l5. This plate has a pair of concentric circular conductor members [6 and ll secured to its front surface, as Will be best seen in the showing of Fig. 2. A binding post l8 and connecting member IS on the bottom surface of plate l5 constitute an electric lead to circular conductor ll, while connecting member 2!] and outlet binding post 2|, similarly stationed on plate I5, are associated with conductor 16. It will thus be seen that on bridging the gap between the concentric conductor members 16 and H the circuit will be represented as follows-48, l9, l1, bridge, I6, 20, 2|. The aforementioned bridge is provided by a pair of switch contact members 22, 23, to which reference will shortly be made.

A rotatable base of insulating material 24 is held in spaced relation to plate by a pair of spring brushes 25 and 26 secured to base 24, said brushes having sliding contact respectively with concentric conductors l6 and H, the brushes and concentric conductors being preferably made of thin copper strips or the like. An additional spring support 21, similar in construction to the brushes 25 and 26, is also provided for supporting base 24, although support 21 plays no part in the electric circuit. Extending centrally through the spaced plates I5 and 24 is a shaft 28, said shaft being secured to and rotatable with the minute Wheel I l' of the clock. In spaced relation to and surrounding shaft 28 is a hollow sleeve member 29, the latter having its upper portion threaded, as at 30. The opposite end of the sleeve is fastened, as at 3i, to and is rotatable with the hour wheel of the clock, the minute and hour hands of the clock being secured to the respective shaft and sleeve adjacent the point 32, where shaft 28 projects beyond said sleeve. As will be understood the dial of the clock (indicated at 32 Fig. 3) will be located in a plane at right angles to shaft 28 passing through point 32. Partially encircling sleeve member 28 is a second concentric sleeve 33 of greater diameter, said last mentioned sleeve being partially threaded as at 34, for the reception of fixed spacing members 35 and 35. Sleeve 33 and spacing members 35 and 35' are secured as by a nut E to stationary support 15.

The brushes 25 and 26 are fastened to the lower portion of rotatable base 24 by means of contact shaft 22 and shaft 23' respectively, the switch contact member 23 being pivotally mounted on said last mentioned shaft. It will thus be seen that when switch contact members 22 and 23 are in contacting position they will bridge the gap between the concentric conductors l5 and I1, thus completing the circuit above mentioned,

and in this position a radio wired to the invention will be in operation. There will now be described the means whereby switch contact members 22 and 23 may be brought into contacting relation; be maintained in this condition for a predetermined period of time and then the contact broken.

A centrally apertured gear wheel 31 is mounted for rotation about sleeve 33 above plate 24. This wheel is not only rotatable but also slidable on the sleeve. By reference to Fig. it will be noted that the limit of sliding movement of gear wheel 37 is determined by an annular stop 38 fastened on sleeve 5, while the opposite limit of sliding movement is set by stop 39 also fixed on sleeve 33 and by coil spring 60 intermediate stop 39 and the gear wheel 31. Secured to the upper surface of said gear wheel is a semi-circular strap 4! constituting a base from which there projects upwardly a pair of inwardly extending pintles 42 and 43, said pintles pivotally mounting a trigger M (Fig. 6), the function of which will be pointed out hereinafter.

Rotatably mounted on post 45, fixed normal to base 24, is a gear 46 in mesh with gear wheel 31,

the gear 46 having an annular scale 41 fixed thereto, in depending relation therefrom. A spring-pressed pawl 48 on the base permits rotation of gear 56 only in a clockwise direction. By

adjusting scale 4'! with reference to a fixed mark on the base 24, and consequently rotating gear wheel 31, the trigger 44 will be rotated about the axis of shaft 33.

Fixed to rotatable shaft'29, above stop 38, are a pair of arms Hand 50, said arms being substantially at right angles to each other. A spring catch 5! is mounted on base plate 24, said catch being substantially of inverted U-shaped formation, one of the legs of the inverted U being secured to the base plate while the other leg terminates short thereof in a concave hook 52, said hook receiving the pivoted switch contact member 23, when said U-shaped member is in normal position, but is adapted to release pivoted contact member 23 when spring catch 5| is depressed. As will be noted by reference to Figs. 1 and 2 the contact member 23, pivoted on shaft 23 has a spring 53 secured thereto, as at 54, the opposite end 55 of said spring being attached as at 56 to catch 5|. It will be understood that any fixed member may be employed in lieu of catch 5|. From the above it will be appreciated that when the catch 5| is depressed, and this occurs when arm 553 contacts and depresses same (Fig. 2), arm 25 will be rotated about its pivot by action of spring 53 until it contacts post 22, thus bridging the gap between concentric members l6 and ll to complete the circuit. Pivotally mounted on post 51, fixed normal to base 2 3, is a striking lever 58, one end of said lever having a spring 59 secured thereto, as at 60, the other end of spring 59 being fastened to a post 6| on said base. As arm 59 rotates it strikes a p n 52, on cocking lever. 53, forcing same forward about pivot 51 against tension of spring 59. By reference to Fig. 1, it will be noted that said lever overhangs gear 31 and when said lever is rotated counterclockwise about its pivot a sufiicient distance, it Will be moved to a position in which gear 31 is forced upwardly by action of spring 45 and. when said lever is released, due to the fact thatit has been forced sufficiently far back by arm 49 so that the later assumes the position shown in Fig. 2, the aforementioned lever then will snap back to contact the periphery of the gear 31 (see Fig.

2). When the gear 37 is depressed by contact of arm 49 with trigger M, the striking portion 63 of lever 58 will strike contact 23 forcing same into a position where it is held stationary by concave hook 52, as shown in Fig. 1-. A pawl and ratchet mechanism or the like 65 may be associated with base 25, whereby the latter will be rotated only in a counter-clockwise direction. Secured to said base, adjacent its periphery and at right angles thereto, is an annular scale 66.

Mode of operation Assuming that it is desired to operate a radio for a given period of time, say two hours, the gear 46 is manually rotated clockwise until number 2 on scale 4'! is directly opposite a fixed mark on base 24. Rotation of gear 46 rotates gear 3'! and positions the pivoted trigger 44. The base 24 is now rotated counter-clockwise until a numeral on scale 65 is opposite a mark on a cabinet (not shown), in which the invention may be mounted. This represents the time at which operation of the device is to commence. Rotation of said base positions contacts 22, 23, spring oatch5l, with respect to operating arms 59 and 59 attached to and rotatable with hour shaft 29. These arms, as time passes, are rotated with the hour shaft until arm 49 cocks lever 58 as shown in Fig. 2 and, upon further rotation of the hour shaft, arm 50 will contact and depress inverted U-shaped member 5| to permit contact member 23 to disengage from hook 52 to engage contact post 22, thus starting the radio at the time set on scale 6. Further rotation of arm 49, brought about as time marches on, causes engagement of the latter with trigger 44, depressing gear 3? against tension of spring 40, thus releasing arm 58, the striking portion 63 of which forces contact 23 into hook portion 52 of inverted U-shaped spring member 5i, the latter having been placed in operative position to receive the pivoted contact, due to the fact that arm 50 has passed beyond the position in which it depresses said spring member 5!. The breaking of the contact will now occur at the expiration of the time period during which the radio is to remain in operation set on scale 41.

' From the above it will be appreciated that the relative positions of the various members on rotatable base 24 with respect to arms 49 and 59, also the relative position of trigger 44, determinesa, the time at which operation of the radio or other appliance commences, and (b), the length of time the radio or other appliance will remain in operation.

Although the invention has been set out in detail, it is my intention to cover all variations and modifications'suggested thereby, and to be limited in this respect only by the scope of the claims hereto appended.

What I claim is:

1. In a time switch, a shaft, means coupling said shaft to the hour wheel of a clock, an insulated base rotatable about said shaft, contacts mounted on said base, a cooking lever on said base, a catch for one of said. contacts, means actuatable by said shaft for operating said catch to close the contacts and for cooking said lever, the latter operable to open the contacts.

2. The structure of claim 1, and means carried by the base for setting the time at which the closing of the contacts will occur, and additional means for fixing the time for opening said contacts by said lever.

3. A switch comprising a shaft rotatable by the hour wheel of a clock, an insulated support rotatable about said shaft, a fixed and movable contact on said support, a pair of arms secured to and rotatable with said shaft, a trigger mounted for rotation about said shaft as an axis, means for holding said movable contact out of engagement with said fixed contact, one of said arms operable to actuate said holding means for releasing said movable contact for engagement with said fixed contact, means for setting the time when the actuation of the holding means occurs, a cocking lever pivotally mounted on said support, the other of said arms operable to cook said lever, said lever actuatable from said trigger to release same from cocked position to push said movable contact at a predetermined time out of engagement with said fixed contact.

RICHARD H. HART. 

